Trials of Love
by McRaider
Summary: Mother had told her to get home as soon as she was finished in the markets. It was a task that the Princess had promised the Queen that she would abide by, in sincere honesty, only that morning. Why was Ambrose in that painting and not Ahamo?


Tin Man  
Title: Trials of Love  
McRaider  
Summary: The story of Queen Dilina, Ambrose, Azkadellia, Ahamo, and DG before everything went so wrong!  
Author's Note: I'm taking a few liberties to say that Az is about six years older than her little sister..  
Disclaimer: I think I'm officially putting Glitch and Cain on my Christmas list! I'm in love with them, but they aren't mine yet so until they are please don't sue. I have no money.  
Pairings: Ambrose/Dilina, Ahamo/Dilina  
Warnings: violence and sexual situations in later chapters.  
Additional note: This part One of a trilogy.

Chapter One: The Chosen One

Mother had told her to get home as soon as she was finished in the markets. It was a task that the Princess had promised the Queen that she would abide by, in sincere honesty, only that morning; yet, as always, the bazaars of the City, lush in their smells, exotic colors, and entrancing wares had captured her fancy and, once again, made her lose all track of time. In her favorite pair of pants and blouse, Dilina rushed back through the streets towards the castle, cursing her luck for always being late. Though, according to her mother, a queen was never late, everyone else was just early. She smiled to herself at the thought.

At nearly twenty, the young princess was to take over the land in six months. This meant she was supposed to marry another member of royalty, as well as pick her royal guards. Somehow, the thought of being only twenty and picking the people who would protect her for the rest of her life scared her.

If she'd been paying attention to where she was going and what she was doing it never would have happened. One minute she was hurrying through the market streets as fast as she could, mind racing with the future duties expected of her, and then the next minute she felt a jolt, and she found herself flat on her bottom.

She grunted in pain, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, when she realized that she'd run into someone. Looking up, she was stunned to see a young man standing before her, wind milling his arms slightly to keep from falling down. Her gaze drifted slowly up over his scuffed boots, the rough-spun cloth of his pants, the worn but lovingly mended patched shirt that looked two sizes too large for him, and into his surprised face. He was handsome—not overly so, rather gangly; he had jet black hair and dark eyes that were almost obsidian. He couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen. And yet, though younger than her, looking into the depths of his eyes, she almost felt as though she were meeting a wise man for the first time, a learned man of the ages. She felt, _something_, stirring in her heart at the sight of him…

She had all but forgotten that she was still seated on the ground when the alarmed voice of the youth shook her out of her reverie. "Oh! I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, as he leaned down to offer her a hand up, his mouth pinched into a moue of concern.

His mother called him scatterbrained; he felt it came from years of brilliance. He gripped the strong hand of the woman as helped her to her feet. He took a moment while she quickly dusted herself off to give her a quick glance. She wasn't overly tall, probably under two meters; she had long, thick chestnut hair. Her eyes struck him, lavender, he'd never in all his life seen someone with lavender eyes. He noted she was dressed quite well for someone running around the city. As he met her eyes a second time he noticed a flash in them, as if she was hiding something, he also noticed the lines at the edges of her eyes; she seemed wiser and older than the twenty years he guessed her to be.

She offered him a warm smile. "No I should be the one who is sorry, I was not paying attention. I'm…?" Should she give her real name? What if this boy was a killer? 'Oh get real Dilina, he's a child.' She shook her head and smiled, "I'm Dilina, and I'm sorry," she smiled softly.

"That's a beautiful name; I'm Ambrose Alamond." He reached out his hand again and took hers into his, giving it a firm shake. She had a beautiful smile, pale skin, and dark hair. She was stunning, and as he looked into her lavender eyes a third time and he couldn't help but feel his heart thud in his chest.

Her eyes grew wide in sudden recognition. "Aren't you that boy that invented the crop-duster?" She'd heard about it just weeks ago; it had been the biggest news in OZ history, a boy of nineteen had created something that could help the fields of Pompay grow twice as fast and as hardy as they did now.

Ambrose's eyes grew bright with pride, and he exclaimed, "That's me! Though to be fair it's not the best name I've ever come up with."

She smiled, suddenly feeling as though she'd found the first member of her royal guard. "I'm looking for someone very smart," she said, pulling a card out of her purse and handing it to him. "Be there later this afternoon at three o'clock. Be prompt."

"Uh, okay." He watched her walk away, his eyes following her the entire way. Glancing down at his card, he gaped. He'd just met the Princess—future Queen of the OZ.

o0o

Ambrose rushed home to tell his mother all about it; they of course were quick to encourage him to go.

"Now you be sure to mind your manners, and don't chew with your mouth open—"

"Mom!" exclaimed the young man as he looked back at his mother.

Her blue eyes were full of only love and concern. He dropped his head to his chest and smiled, "Mother, I promise that I will be on my best behavior…" Stopping to look himself over in the mirror, he sighed. "This is as good as it gets," he whispered softly.

A handsome man was staring back at him, with a dark blue shirt on and a pair of cream-colored slacks. He watched through the mirror as his mother stepped up behind him and reached around to straighten his tie, "Don't you dare put yourself down Ambrose, you've worked so hard." She turned him around slowly, caressing his cheek, "Your father would be so very proud."

"Thanks mom."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Off with you then, Son. Can't be late to meet the Queen!"

At three o'clock, he arrived at the palace, terrified out of his mind and trying not to throw up. Sure he was brilliant, perhaps one of the brightest minds in all of the OZ, but what could the future Queen possibly want with someone like him?

The guard standing at the door offered him a tight and brief smile. "They've been waiting for you, please come in," as he led the young man into the castle.

Ambrose's first reaction was to try not to have a panic attack on the floor; he felt an overwhelming sense of being completely and totally out of place here. Everything was so grand, so large and so beautiful. His entire life had been simple, small, and plain. The pillars alone were twice the size of his house.

"Ah, Mr. Alamond!" An older woman with pepper-graying hair came towards him with open gestures and a warm smile to boot. He immediately recognized her as the current Queen of the OZ. Hastily, he knelt on one knee, bowing his head in respect.

"Oh my dear boy!" she chuckled softly as she touched his shoulder.

He tried not to shake; he was being touched by the Queen…was that legal? She placed a hand under his chin, lifting his face, and she smiled and said, "You need not bow my child; you have been invited here by my daughter. That alone means you must be something grand. Come, I will take you to her."

He didn't know what to say, what to think; he'd been invited, now he was being led by the Queen herself somewhere. Just when he was sure his day couldn't get any better…or weirder. He was led into a larger room; it appeared as if it were for large functions or balls. The halls were decorated with pictures of every King or Queen of OZ to date, including the original herself: Dorothy 'Grey Gael'. It was a stunning collection and he couldn't help but be amazed.

Dilina stepped into the room unseen and unheard, she took a moment to glance him over. For the second time that day she was amazed how mature and large he seemed, even in the grand Ball Room. As she studied his body language she realized he was nervous, shaking lightly and tense in his shoulders. Smirking slyly she walked up silently towards him. "I'm glad you could make it," said a beautiful soprano voice, snapping him from his trance.

He turned to see Dilina standing there, offering an identical smile as her mother. She was dressed far nicer than he had seen earlier, a beautiful pearl gown almost draping off her.

She spread her arms and gestured to the paintings. "Every one of my ancestors lines these walls. In a matter of months I will be joining their portraits up there. However, before I can do that I must choose my staff. You see, we have a tradition in this royal line. We keep our staff members until the day they, or we, die. It's a matter of loyalty. Tell me, Mr. Alamond, are you willing to serve me for the rest of your life?" Her question almost boarded on flirtatious as she eyed him with those beautiful lavender orbs. He felt his heart melt at her words.

This time he didn't hesitate as he dropped to his knee and bowed his head again. "If it pleases you I will serve you most loyally and dutifully, your Majesty."

Dilina smiled graciously as she looked at the Queen. "Mother, I will not be needing another Scientific and Government advisor, as I appear to have one already."

"But my child…"

Dilina held up her hand to stop her mother's words. "This is the most brilliant young man in the entire Outer Zone, Mother; I place my full trust in his abilities, and look forward to the creations that such talents produce."

Ambrose stood stock still, his dark hazel eyes wide with fear and awe. She was asking for just him; most Queens and Kings had at least five advisors behind them at all times. She wanted only him…what had he done? He couldn't quite fathom why he was suddenly so special.

The Queen chuckled, casting her clear water-blue eyes on both of them; she would have been a fool not to see the instant spark between these two. She nodded. "As you wish, child." The older woman left the two alone.

Dilina watched her new advisor for a moment, before realizing he hadn't stood up yet. Moving over, she gently placed her hands against his cheeks. "You may rise, Mr. Alamond, and you need not impress me further; you have already done so."

He looked into her beautiful eyes and smiled. "Your Majesty, how can I ever repay you?" he asked.

"You already have, you already have. Come, I will show you to your office and quarters. You are the first room in the Guards' hall, the closest to my bedroom of course, for safety purposes. You're my right hand man now Mr. Alamond—"

"With all due respect your highness, if I'm to spend the rest of my life with you, call me Ambrose; I fear Mr. Alamond makes me sound much older, and quite honestly that is a name only my father would abide by."

She chuckled softly as she reached for his hand, gripping it gently in hers. It molded within her's easily, as if it had been created to fit perfectly with hers, "Very well Ambrose, and perhaps you could call me Dilina when we are alone? As you are my right hand man, we are going to spend the next fifty to sixty years getting to know one another quite well."

Ambrose nodded as he squeezed her hand, allowing her to pull him out of the ballroom. "Of course your majesty. Dilina; it's quite a beautiful name."

"Thank you Ambrose, my great grandmother was Dorothy Dilina Gael. I was named after her. I fear I'm not actually quite fond of the name Dorothy, but it is a tradition that every youngest child of the Gael family be named Dorothy, whether it is our middle or first name."

"Could you not name a child DG, for Dorothy Gael, that way you are both honoring the tradition but changing it to be your own?"

She looked at him, smiling in the warm way that she would offer only to him in the many years to come, and said, "You truly are brilliant."

He shrugged noncommittally and chuckled, "I try." He felt at ease with her suddenly, as if he was no longer in the presence of the future Queen of the Outer Zone, but rather an old friend he'd known and been talking to for years.

TBC


End file.
